International director of Publish What You Pay, Marinke van Riet Photograph: Publish What You Pay/Public

What does Publish What You Pay (PWYP) do?

We are a global coalition of over 650 civil society organisations that campaigns for transparency and accountability in the extractive industry. We believe that natural resources can bring about a transformation to society if they are managed well.

What is the trick to making such a large coalition work?

Our coalition operates by the mantra: "nothing about us, without us" and the whole principle of bottom-up development is all the more crucial. When it comes to creating campaign principles, having a participatory approach will make the difference between a document that will gather dust on shelves and a document that is live and being used in the regions.

PWYP campaigns for both transparency and accountability. How would you define both and can you explain the link between the two?

This is the million dollar question. Transparency is the right to access information; to make sure all the info that needs to be available is out in the public domain. The shift then to accountability is what you do with that information. Transparency is a means to an end, it is not an end in itself. You must then use the information that is out there to demand accountability; to make sure both governments and companies are behaving with the public's interests at heart. That is when you make the shift.

What is your vision for your organisation?

It is our vision that natural resources should benefit all citizens today and tomorrow. The philosophy that underpins the campaign is actually enshrined in a lot of the legal frameworks in developing countries. It is that natural resources are a public good; they do in fact belong to the people. The state is merely a custodian and has to provide good stewardship in managing these resources.

How has your perspective changed as you have progressed in your career?

I have become less of an idealist and more of a realist. I am still passionate and I am still full of energy and optimism but the level of that optimism has been reduced a little. I have also learned to pick my battles. When I was in my 20s I battled against everything. I slowly learned it is much more strategic to pick battles more carefully as you might actually achieve more than you would fighting on all fronts. Strategic thinking is important and this evolves with experience.

What has been the hardest professional challenge for you?

I have to say this is the best job I've had in my career. However, despite the love I have for the job it has also been my most difficult. First of all because there are not thousands of players in this sector, like in health or in water, so there are a lot of demands on your time. Secondly, it is not a nine-to-five job, particularly because you always want to be there for your coalition members who campaign and stand for integrity almost against the odds. Quite a few of our members have been arrested and even imprisoned. We are largely a solidarity network and hence you want to share that solidarity by being accessible to others.

Is there something distinct about leadership in a development context?

My friends are always amazed at my level of passion and commitment. I have a strong moral compass and a very strong sense of social justice that drives me. It is not about the financial compensation, it is not about status, it is about making sure you are doing good in this world. The emotional and moral aspects are often underplayed but are essential in doing this job.

Are those the same qualities that makes a good leader?

For me it is about interpersonal skills, being accessible and being able to listen.

How should organisations respond to failure?

I always say: "I've learned so much from my mistakes that I'm willing to make a few more". I probably learned more from my mistakes than from my successes, in both a personal and a professional context. Organisations should embrace failure and talk about it. We should draw out the lessons learned and see how we can apply those lessons.

What is the future of development?

In terms of development trends, in a lot of developed countries – particularly in the EU and US – you can see a declining aid climate. The sector is then forced to become more professional, more efficient and more cost-effective in everything we do. That will have consequences for players in the south because there is less money available for civil society. Governance of the extractive industry will then become even more important, because revenues from those sectors are on the increase and could really transform a society and be an agent of change. If these resources were used well, some of these nations could be the wealthiest on earth.

Who is your development hero?

My heroes are the coalition members. It is very easy to stand for principles and be very passionate about your job in the safe environment of London, in a nice office, knowing your civil liberties are protected. Doing the same thing in a country like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger or Tajikistan is very different. Seeing our members doing that, against the odds, and still believing in what they stand for, that is the reason why I am doing this job.

View from the top profiles heads of development organisations, large and small, no matter where they are in the world. To be featured, send an email to globaldevpros@guardian.co.uk

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